Brown claims Tories 'are party of unemployment'

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown banged the drum about their economic achievements today and fiercely attacked the Tories' plans for Britain.

Mr Brown and Mr Blair both made stump-style speeches during a joint visit to Barry in the marginal constituency of the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales.

The seat is held for Labour by John Smith, with a majority of 4,700, with the Tories in second place, and has changed hands several times at recent elections.

Mr Brown spoke to an audience of Labour supporters in Barry Memorial Hall, where he was introduced by Welsh Secretary Peter Hain.

He said the central purpose of Labour's campaign between now and polling day would be to ensure not only that Labour MPs such as Mr Smith were returned to parliament, but primarily that Tony Blair is returned to 10 Downing Street with a Labour Party majority behind him.

Mr Brown told his audience that Labour was "the party of employment" whereas the Tories were "the party of unemployment".

In a reference to the region's industrial past, Mr Brown said that the last Conservative government "butchered the mining and steel industries in our country".

And he directed particular criticism at Tory leader Michael Howard.

'Butchered mining and steel industries'

Mr Brown said: "I think people in Wales will never forget that it was a Tory government with Michael Howard in the Cabinet that brought in the poll tax.

"It was a Conservative government which butchered the mining and steel industries in our country.

"It was a Conservative government that led to 15 per cent interest rates and mortgage repossessions.

"And it was a Conservative government that was responsible for the highest levels of unemployment in Wales since the war."

Mr Brown continued: "And every time Michael Howard moved into a new department, he made things worse.

"He was the pensions minister at the time of pensions mis-selling; he was the local government minister at the time the poll tax was introduced; he was the home secretary during a period when crime actually doubled in our country; and he was employment secretary when unemployment went above two million."